Christmas Treasures
by S.N.Sterling
Summary: Seven years with Eren, and Rivaille only ever wanted one thing for his birthday. In other words, fluff sweet enough to rot your teeth and ridiculous amounts of kissing.


Six Christmases, six birthdays, seven anniversaries – seven years. It had all started nearly a decade ago when Rivaille asked a rather intriguing high school junior to go out with him during the late days of November. He'd received a hesitant agreement from the boy at the time, but as the weeks and months passed, he knew the brunet had grown confident of his answer. Now it was late December, the evening of Christmas Day just a month over their seventh anniversary, and the snow outside was heavily blanketed over icy streets and decorated rooftops.

The fire was warm and dying in the hearth as the hour approached nine, colorful wrapping paper was haphazardly strewn about the floor of the living room, and quiet laughter rang throughout the house. The scent of burning kindling and expensive chocolate filtered through the living room while aluminum candy wrappers were ripped apart and crumpled, and gentle touches caressed warm skin on the carpeted flooring in front of the fireplace.

Legs were tangled, fingers entwined, and lips locked while the fire crackled with its dying light, small shadows being cast to the floor and splaying across the couch that had been pushed to the far wall hours ago. Dribbles of chocolate and cherry filling slid down smooth jaws, daring to hit the freshly cleaned carpets before skilled tongues swept the melted candy away just in time, and teeth clacked together haphazardly between kisses and laughter.

Green eyes glowed softly in the light of the fire, and a matching grey gaze stared back lovingly while kisses and candies were exchanged in the heat of moment. Fleeting touches grazed pale skin and nimble fingers threaded through thick brown hair, hot breath mingling between hungry lips desperate to kiss one another. Quiet gasps of pleasure slipped between rounds of kissing and laughter when a hip or thigh pressed down just the right way, and noses bumped between open-mouthed kisses.

Tanned fingers grasped at the pale flesh of strong arms while Rivaille bridged himself over Eren, the brunet's back arching and his neck craning to capture his lover's lips once more. Soft chuckles fell from Rivaille's lips while he kissed at Eren's mouth lovingly, their lips slick with saliva and their bodies fitting against one another perfectly.

Gentle groans of happiness and pleasure filtered into the hot air when Eren slid a thigh up along Rivaille's leg endearingly to rest over the man's hip, his fingers running along his lover's arms to clasp together behind his neck. Agile hands ran through Eren's hair while they kissed and rocked against each other slowly, warm palms coming to rest against the younger man's neck and tender thumbs caressing his jaw.

Heads tilted to deepen affectionate kisses until lips were bruised and shining with saliva in the light of the dying fire, and content smiles soon made it difficult to indulge in proper kisses. Whispered phrases passed between lips that continued to touch and brush against one another, and happy grins took the place of desperate kisses while doting lovers bumped and rubbed their noses together contentedly.

"I love you," Rivaille murmured, his breath warm against Eren's lips as their foreheads were pressed together gently and grey eyes stared fondly into deep green. Those eyes he loved so much brightened with a certain light that reflected the younger man's own feelings, and a breathy laugh mingled in the hot air between their mouths.

"I love you, too," Eren responded quietly, his voice hushed so as to not interrupt the quiet atmosphere of the house surrounding him. His fingers toyed with Rivaille's hair gently while he gazed up at the older man, a fond expression on both of their faces. He soon reached up to steal another soft kiss from his lover's lips, the warmth of their mouths pressed together making him groan quietly and the gentle passion between them pushing his hips up against Rivaille's pelvis lightly.

A muted groan passed from Rivaille's own lips at the action, his hips rocking against Eren just slightly while he pressed his tongue into the brunet's mouth, taking note of the strong taste of red wine and rich chocolate. It was a taste he'd come to love only on his partner's tongue, and his hands caressed the skin of the younger man's neck and collarbone before smoothly passing down over his chest.

The kiss they shared lingered only a moment longer, broken by Rivaille as the man pulled away with half-lidded eyes and a swipe of his tongue over his lower lip. He gazed down at the warm flush crossing Eren's cheeks as the air around them grew warm, a fond smile pulling at the corner of his lips. He loved seeing Eren like this beneath him – not particularly erotic, but simply completely and utterly in love. He knew his own expression reflected that same affection the brunet's did, and he kissed at the man's mouth gently once more.

"I love you. I love you a lot," he murmured, tone quiet and breathy while Eren nodded in agreement, a soft groan sealed between his and Rivaille's lips serving as his response to the phrase. Green eyes slid shut happily while Rivaille kissed him, and Eren's fingers buried themselves deep in the man's hair to pull him closer.

A little groan of happiness passed between both lovers as they kissed and pressed their bodies together in the way only they could, their minds solely focused on each other. Rivaille's mouth left Eren's first again only moments later, his fingers gently stroking along the brunet's sides and dipping below the fabric of his shirt to caress his skin.

"You're beautiful like this, you know?" Rivaille murmured, his words causing Eren to chuckle and bite at his lower lip endearingly, his back arching so he could press against the man's touches.

"So are you. I love you, Rivaille," the brunet whispered, his lips brushing Rivaille's while a small smile tugged at the corner of the man's mouth. A tender silence settled between them while soft touches ghosted along what little exposed skin there was, each man taking his time to appreciate the other. It wasn't long until Rivaille moved away, however, his warmth leaving Eren and eliciting a disapproving whine from the younger man. "Wha—Come back here. It's cold without you, Rivaille."

"Hold on. There's one more gift I want to give you before we go any further," Rivaille muttered in explanation, moving to sit up before Eren reached to grab at his arm. Pausing for a second, the older man looked down at his lover, the brunet's disapproving expression catching him off guard.

"It can wait until the morning, can't it? You really have the worst timing," Eren complained, green eyes narrowing just slightly when Rivaille raised an eyebrow and shook his head. A small kiss was pressed to his forehead before the man pulled his arm free and stood up, promising to be back in just a moment. With a sigh, Eren relented and pushed himself up into a sitting position, his eyes watching Rivaille's form as his lover disappeared down the hall to their bedroom.

_This better be worth it_, Eren thought absently, sighing as he glanced around the living room quietly. The box of chocolates he'd been sharing with Rivaille was nearly empty across the floor, the plastic of the box crinkling and caving in on itself slowly because of the fire in the hearth, and the gifts they'd already opened were somehow still balanced on the couch. The Christmas tree in the corner of the open room twinkled with the sparkling lights and ornaments that it had been decorated with after Thanksgiving, and the windows reflecting the silvery decorations were white with frost.

With another quiet sigh, Eren shifted to run a hand through his mussed hair, glancing up when he caught onto the soft sound of Rivaille's footsteps against the carpet. Raising an eyebrow slightly, the younger man watched as his lover waved a small box wrapped in simple green paper as he made his way across the living room, a sly look crossing his features.

"I hope this is worth it," Eren pointed out while Rivaille carefully situated himself between his legs, the brunet's thighs resting against the older man's knees. Green eyes watched the man wearily for a moment while Eren scooted a little bit closer to Rivaille so that he could wrap his arms around his lover's lower back, leaning in to peck his lips gently. "I swear to _god_ if it's a condom in a box or something—"

"Just give me a minute," Rivaille interrupted, capturing Eren's lips in a deep kiss before the brunet could continue his stages of protest. Tongues and teeth brushed together for just a brief moment before Rivaille pulled away once more, fully aware that he had Eren's attention when the brunet tried to follow him and continue their kiss. Leaning his head away teasingly, Rivaille lifted the little wrapped box so that it was between Eren's face and his own.

"Go ahead. Take it," he instructed, nodding to the box while Eren sighed and shifted to unwrap his arms from around Rivaille's back, taking the small present begrudgingly. He weighed the little gift in his hands thoughtfully while Rivaille urged him to unwrap it, the green paper ripping and falling away easily. A small furrow developed in Eren's brow once the gift-wrap was gone, leaving a shiny black box in its wake.

Glancing up at his lover for a moment, Eren hesitated before moving to open the small box, being interrupted by Rivaille's hands grasping his own before he could. "What is it? Let me open it," Eren muttered, displeased by the way Rivaille shook his head and brought both of the brunet's hands to his mouth to press gentle kisses to his fingers.

"What do you think it is?" Rivaille questioned quietly, his inquiry making Eren shrug and tug on his hands helplessly.

"It looks like a jewelry box. But you know I don't really wear anything like that," the brunet pointed out, eyeing Rivaille suspiciously when the man nodded just the barest amount and let out what was close to a soft chuckle.

"Before you open it…let me explain," the older man murmured, swallowing thickly and taking a moment to pause. Whatever nervousness he'd been battling to keep down before was slowly surfacing again while he held Eren's hands and avoided the confused gaze the brunet pegged him with, his breath warm against his lover's fingers.

"Alright. First of all, Eren, I love you," Rivaille began, shaking his head when Eren went to return the statement, further confusing and silencing the younger brunet. "This is our seventh year together, and you've come to know that I usually don't want much for Christmas and my birthday. I'm not entirely big on gifts or really want or need anything that I don't already have. But this year, I thought I'd be a little more selfish." Pausing for a moment when Eren nodded to his words in silent acknowledgement, Rivaille let a small smile tug at the corner of his lips while he took the black box from Eren's hands, fiddling with it just slightly.

"This year, I decided there was something more I wanted. You've been my boyfriend for seven years, you know me the best. You understand me when I wish you didn't. I've been in love with you since you were nineteen, Eren. But being in love with you and calling you my boyfriend isn't enough anymore," Rivaille continued, chuckling breathily at the growing understanding crossing Eren's features. "So, while it may not seem like much, I still consider myself fairly selfish for asking this of you. But Eren, all I want for my birthday this year is to call you my fiancé. All I want is to receive_ all_ of your love and your _entire_ acceptance."

Stopping near the end of his speech, Rivaille looked down to mess with the small box in his hands long enough to get it open properly, his gaze soon meeting Eren's while the brunet brought his hands to his mouth silently, green eyes watching Rivaille in shock. The little ring box was lifted so that the brunet could focus on the silvery ring lying against black satin, his gaze lingering on the inner engraving of,_ 'Je t'aime, Eren,_' while his heart clenched and thudded loudly in his chest.

Green eyes shooting back up to Rivaille's face, Eren's suspicions were confirmed when the man gave a little nod and flashed an almost nervous smile. "For my birthday, Eren, and for Christmas, all I ask is that you marry me. So, it's pretty obvious I'd ask this, but…will you marry me, Eren?" Swallowing thickly once the question finally made its way past his lips, Rivaille waited for any sign of Eren's answer, his chest aching with the idea of rejection while the brunet stared at him in silent shock.

Slowly, however, Eren began to nod, little tears slipping from the corners of his eyes while he took a deep breath behind his hands. His fingers shook when he began to reach for the box, his nodding almost furious and choked little phrases of, "Yes, Rivaille," and, "Of course I will," slipping from his lips before a warm hand situated itself on the back of his neck and pulled him forward for a desperate kiss.

Quiet sobs of happiness and whispered words of, "Thank god," and, "I'm so glad," were lost between their mouths while warm lips pressed together in a deep, affectionate kiss. Eren's hands found Rivaille's while the man tugged the ring from its confinement with one hand, his fingers blindly searching for Eren's left hand while he pushed the brunet to his back. With a moment or two of fumbling, he managed to get the ring onto the proper finger, laughing quietly and smiling into the kiss Eren returned with just as much joy.

Tanned fingers threaded through soft black hair once the ring was in place, and Rivaille cradled Eren's face in his hands while they kissed messily but happily, lightheaded with the idea of being engaged to the beautiful boy beneath him. Slowly but surely, their kiss softened, however, and their lips pressed together just enough to be considered some semblance of a kiss, their breath hot against each other's mouths.

Small tears of joy continued to roll down the sides of Eren's face, the salty drops being easily swept away by Rivaille's thumbs while they stared into each other's eyes and kissed at reddened cheeks and noses. The barest amount of light from the fire reflected a soft glow on the lover's forms as they held each other and relished in their newfound engagement, silently telling each other just how much they were loved.

"I'm glad, Eren. I love you. I love you so much," Rivaille whispered, his voice quiet and somewhat desperate as he kissed at the brunet's forehead, the younger male tilting his head up to capture his lips in a gentle kiss. His fingers left Rivaille's hair in favor of gently brushing across the skin of his cheeks and jaw, the cool metal of the ring on his left hand sending a shiver down the man's spine.

"I love you, too, Rivaille. I love you. This is the best Christmas present I could ask for," Eren murmured in response, smiling against his lover's lips and moving his left hand to grasp Rivaille's, their fingers folding together in a way so natural it made Eren think his hands were _made _to hold Rivaille's.

"It's the best _birthday_ present I could ask for," Rivaille responded, his forehead pressing against Eren's while he squeezed the brunet's hand gently, his fingers brushing against the ring on the younger man's hand lightly. A quiet laugh fell from Eren's lips at the statement, and he nodded silently in agreement, leaning up to kiss at Rivaille's mouth happily once more.

"You're a dork," Eren pointed out, laughing and wrapping his free arm around Rivaille's neck so that his fingers could bury themselves deep in the man's hair, pulling him down just a little closer. A dark brow lifted in response to his words, and Rivaille smirked the tiniest bit as he kissed at the very corner of Eren's mouth.

"You say that as if you're not one," Rivaille retorted, going to kiss the brunet deeply, green and grey eyes falling shut together while the kiss lingered on their lips. A soft hum resonated in the back of Eren's throat while he pressed up into the kiss, his tongue brushing against Rivaille's for just a short moment before he pulled away from the older man.

"I'm _your_ dork though," Eren responded, smiling while he opened his eyes just slightly, gazing up at Rivaille while the man's free hand caressed his side gently, nimble fingers slipping beneath the hem of his shirt to brush against the warm skin. Grey eyes rolled at the statement, and Rivaille moved to ghost his lips along Eren's jaw, soon pressing a small kiss to the flushed skin beneath the boy's ear.

"I'm just _yours_," Rivaille muttered, his breath warm against Eren's flesh and his words sending a shudder down the brunet's spine. A content smile pulled at the younger man's lips, and he nodded once in response, his head tilting so that Rivaille would have more room to mess with his neck. His fingers entwined with his lover's gave a gentle squeeze, and he smoothed the fingers of his other hand through Rivaille's hair gently, a quiet sigh falling from his lips.

"_I'm yours, too, Rivaille. Only yours. Now and forever."_

_End._


End file.
